MV Creations' first Masters of the Universe series comes to a close, and I have to give credit where credit is due. This final issue is surprisingly accessible, and the creators have captures the fantasy and adventure that has made this 1980s property popular all over again. Unfortunately, I find the property is lacking in grounded elements, in characters to which the reader can relate. Fans of fantasy and cosmic action should find something here they'll enjoy, though.
Skeletor proves to be more clever than Evil-Lyn believed, and thwarts her plan to use He-Man to steal away the Shakarran Crystal from the bony-faced villain's grasp. Instead of using the ensorcelled hero as his seductive underling did, though, Skeletor is more interested in making his old enemy suffer. Meanwhile, He-Man's allies rush to Snake Mountain to his rescue, all the while wary that their powerful friend is still under the sway of evil.
Santalucia's artwork here reminds me a bit of that of Rob (Youngblood) Liefeld. The characters are quite exaggerated in an over-the-top manner. But that influence is tempered with another. I was also put in mind of Jim (Batman) Lee's more polished, fluid style keeps the weaknesses in the Liefeld-esque approach at bay. Mind you, the art is also held back by the fact that it's based on a cartoon house style and some pretty silly designs that originated two decades ago. The colors are crisp and bright, and they bring out the energy and alien quality of the property quite well.
The plot -- which I'm pleased to discover is spelled out quite clearly even though this is the concluding issue -- is a fairly predictable and familiar one. The hero manages to do the impossible... simply because that's what required to save the day. Younger readers ought to get a charge out of reading this comic, though, as it's replete with action, magic and energy.
Though the title interests me these days, I was never a big fan of Marvel's god of thunder, Thor. I always found it so lofty, and the new characters not derived from Norse myth always boasted such corny names. I found that Thor, his friends and enemies were just too far removed from humanity, and that distance kept it from connecting. That's the same problem I have with He-Man and company. There's nothing for the reader to latch onto in these characters, and the alien setting just adds to the distance.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
